The agency called for 'urgent measures' by the government to help authorities cope with the influx of people. File picture

UN High Commissioner Vega said: “This situation requires urgent measures from central government, which needs to coordinate with the relevant ministries as well as the Guardia Civil border police, the maritime rescue service, the police and non-governmental organisations.

“Government action is more urgently needed than ever and we need to see proper infrastructure for welcoming, registering and identifying these people.

“All the organisations working on this situation are overwhelmed.”

The migrants were from various countries in North and sub-Saharan Africa.

DIRTY TRICKS

COLD SHOWERS

GRUESOME FIND

Body found in estuary in hunt for Libby Squire is a woman

Spain has seen a significant increase in people crossing by sea from North Africa, either via the Strait of Gibraltar or the Sea of Alboran in recent years - while arrivals to Italy and Greece via Libya have dropped.

Around 19,000 people made the sea crossing in 2017, representing a 182 per cent increase on the previous year.

Europe's border agency Frontex said in January that it expected a further increase in irregular immigration to Spain this year, with flows boosted by the use of fast boats.

An Italian coastguard official said on Sunday more than 1,800 migrants attempting to cross from Libya to Italy were rescued over the past three days, following an improvement in the weather.

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